Artwork
Portrait of a Man
Portrait of a Man is an oil painting by the Impressionist artist George Frederick Harris. It dates from 1908 and is held in the collection of the National Library of Wales.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The painting is a self-portrait, with the sitter identified as the artist George Frederick Harris himself.
The painting is a self-portrait, with the sitter identified as the artist George Frederick Harris himself. Rather than presenting a neutral likeness, the work incorporates attributes of his profession: Harris is shown holding a paintbrush and accompanied by a palette and paint, signaling his identity as a practicing painter. These painter's tools function as iconographic markers, situating the portrait within the tradition of the artist's self-representation in which studio implements declare the sitter's craft.
The composition thus operates on two levels simultaneously, a straightforward depiction of a man and a self-conscious statement about authorship and artistic labor. By including the instruments of his trade, Harris frames the canvas as both a likeness and a declaration of professional identity, asserting his role as the maker of the very image being viewed.
Technique & Style
Executed in 1908, the Portrait of a Man is an oil painting on canvas support. The work measures 105.5 cm in height and 99 cm in width. Classified as a portrait, the piece depicts the artist George Frederick Harris holding a paintbrush and palette, suggesting a self-portrait subject matter.
The medium consists of oil paint applied to the canvas, a standard technique for the period. The painting is currently held within the National Library of Wales Framed works of art collection, having been acquired in 1999. No specific details regarding the painting's current physical condition or brushwork handling are provided in the available records.
History & Provenance
Portrait of a Man is an oil paint portrait created in 1908 by George Frederick Harris. The work measures 105.5 cm in height and 99 cm in width and was painted as a self-portrait. It entered the National Library of Wales collection through purchase from David Griffiths in 1999 and is cataloged as accession number 199901894.
Portrait of a Man is held by the National Library of Wales in its Framed works of art collection, with accession number 199901894 acquired in 1999 through purchase from Mr David Griffiths. The work was exhibited in the 1908 Royal Academy show as part of the artist George Frederick Harris's self-portrait series. It measures 105.5 cm by 99 cm and is classified as an oil on canvas painting depicting Harris himself.
Overview
Created in 1908, Portrait of a Man is an oil painting by Welsh artist George Frederick Harris. The work presents a solitary figure in a dark coat, captured in a dimly lit interior. It resides in the collection of the National Library of Wales, offering a quiet glimpse into the artist’s personal studio environment.
Artist & collection
Artist
George Frederick Harris (30 October 1856 – 14 June 1924) was a Welsh portrait and landscape painter.
